Apple tree named ‘Cauflight’

ABSTRACT

A new apple tree named ‘Cauflight’ is described. ‘Cauflight’ is a mutation of ‘Caudle’ selected for its fruit, which has an intense bright red over color as compared to ‘Caudle.’

Latin name: Malus domestica borkh.

Variety denomination: ‘Cauflight’.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

‘Cauflight’ is a new and distinct cultivar of apple tree Malus domesticaBorkh. This new cultivar is a product of natural branch tree mutation ofthe variety ‘Caudle’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,068) discovered atFlightshott Farm, Kent, United Kingdom. ‘Cauflight’ is wellcharacterized by its well defined dark red stripes over a bright redcolor. It is also characterized by its high percentage of coloredfruits. Fruit was first observed in 2000, in an orchard situated atFlightshoot Farm in Kent, United Kingdom. Trees have since beenpropagated by budding in two different locations: Seiches sur le Loir,France and Villers-Cotterêts, France. The variety has been shown toremain true to type over successive generations in these two locations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

‘Cauflight’ apple tree is similar to ‘Caudle’ in many respects, but isparticularly distinguishable by its fruit, which has a bright red overcolor and a high percentage of highly colored fruit, particularly insidethe tree (see FIG. 3). This characteristic of ‘Cauflight’ is desireablein that it leads to improved pack-out volumes as compared to ‘Caudle’(see FIG. 5). The distinctive characteristics of ‘Cauflight’ are shownin Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 Comparison between ‘Caudle’ and ‘Cauflight’ fruits. Amount ofPattern of Variety Skin color Overcolor Overcolor Caudle Light red50-75% Strongly defined (RHS 41A) stripes Cauflight Bright red 80-100%Strongly defined (RHS 45A) stripes

Tests have been conducted at Station Expérimentale de la Morinière,France, to compare ‘Cauflight’ and ‘Caudle’ at harvest time and afterstorage. Fruit taken from 4 year old trees were stored in controlledatmosphere: 0.5° C., 2.5% oxygen and 2% CO₂. Starch reversion, sugars,firmness and acidity were measured at harvest time and after storage.Results of these storage trials show that there is no significantdifference in maturity between ‘Caudle’ and ‘Cauflight’ at harvest time.After storage, however, results show that level of sugar is higher for‘Cauflight’. These results are shown in Tables 2 and 3.

TABLE 2 Characteristics of ‘Caudle’ and ‘Cauflight’ at harvest time.Starch reversion Sugar Firmness Acidity Variety (CTIFL code 1-10) (%Brix) (kg/cm²) (g/l) ‘Caudle’ 5.95 14.7 7.6 4.7 ‘Cauflight’ 6.33 14.67.55 4.8

TABLE 3 Characteristics of ‘Caudle’ and ‘Cauflight’ after 6 month CAstorage. Firmness Sugars (kg/cm²) (% Brix) Acidity (g/l) After 24 After8 After 24 After 8 After 24 After 8 Variety hours days hours days hoursdays ‘Caudle’ 6.6 6.0 14.8 14.5 3.3 3.0 ‘Cauflight’ 6.5 5.9 15.6 15.53.3 2.9

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

FIG. 1 shows fruit of ‘Cauflight’;

FIG. 2 shows ‘Cauflight’ tree (left) and ‘Caudle’ tree (right), 3 weeksbefore picking time;

FIG. 3 shows ‘Cauflight’ fruit (above) and ‘Caudle’ fruit (below) ontree at picking time;

FIG. 4 shows ‘Cauflight’ fruit (left) and ‘Caudle’ fruit (right) atpicking time;

FIG. 5 shows a box of ‘Cauflight’ fruit (right) in comparison with boxof ‘Caudle’ fruit (left); and

FIG. 6 shows leaves of ‘Cauflight’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following detailed botanical description is based on observationsmade during the 2007 growing season at Seiches sur le Loir, France ofsix year old trees grown on Pajam 2 rootstock in high density plantings.All colors are described according to The Royal Horticultural SocietyColour Chart. It should be understood that the characteristics describedwill vary somewhat depending upon cultural practices and climaticconditions, and will vary with location and season. Quantifiedmeasurements are expressed as an average of measurements taken from anumber of individual plants of the new variety. The measurements of anyindividual plant, or any group of plants, of the new variety may varyfrom the stated average.

-   Tree: Vigor — medium (similar to ‘Caudle’); Type — ramified; Habit —    spreading; Height — 2.50 m; Trunk diameter (at 30 cm above the    graft)—medium (avg. 45 mm), Bark texture — smooth to medium; Bark    coloration — grey 187D.-   Branch (fruiting branches located at about 1 m above the graft    union): Length — medium (avg. 88 cm); Diameter — medium (avg.12 mm);    Crotch angle 80° to 90° ; Bark color — purple-brown 166A.-   Lenticels: Length — medium (avg. 31 mm); Pubescence — medium; Number    of lenticels — medium to high (12 lenticels per cm²).-   Flower buds: Quantity per spur — 1 to 3; Shape — round to conical;    Length — small to medium; Diameter — small to medium; Color — pink    63B.-   Flowers: Color (flower buds) — pink 63B; Diameter of open flower —    medium; Relative position of petal margin — overlapping; Number per    cluster — 5 to 6; Date of first bloom — April 20 in Loire Valley,    France (same as ‘Golden Delicious’); Date of full bloom — April 25    in Loire Valley, France.-   Petals: Number per flower — 5; Shape — ovoid; Length — medium; Width    — medium; Apex — round; Base — conical-pointed; Margin — smooth;    Coloration of upper surface — white N155C; Coloration of lower    surface — light pink 65B.-   Pistils: Size — medium; Color — yellow green N144C.-   Stigma: Size — medium; Color — yellow green 150B.-   Style: Size — medium; Color — yellow green 145A.-   Ovary: Size — medium; Color — green 140A.-   Anthers: Quantity — numerous; Size — medium; Presence of pollen —    present; Color of pollen — yellow 3C.-   Pedicel: Size — medium to long; Diameter — thin; Color — green 143B-   Sepals: Quantity — 5; Coloration — green 143C; Shape — conical    pointed.-   Leaves: Shape — obtuse; Length (petiole not included) — medium-long    (avg. 92 mm); Width — large (avg. 55 mm); Length/width ratio —    medium (1.67); Blade margin — serrate; Apex — acuminate; Base shape    — oblique; Color of upper surface — dark green 136A (in late    summer); Color of lower surface — green 137C (in late summer);    Attitude in relation to shoot — outwards.-   Petiole: Length — long (avg. 33 mm); Diameter — medium (avg. 1.3    mm); Coloration — green 137C.-   Fruit: Quantity per cluster — (2 to 3); Diameter — large (avg. 87    mm); Weight — heavy (avg. 250 g); Ratio of height to width — medium    (1.06); General shape in profile — rounded to conical; Position of    maximum diameter — in middle; Ribbing — medium; Crowning at calyx    end — strong; Size of eye — large (avg. 21.3 mm); Aperture of eye —    partially open; Length of sepal — medium (avg. 6 mm); Bloom of skin    — weak; Greasiness of skin — very weak; Background color of skin —    yellow 7D; Over color of skin — red 45A; Amount of over color — 80%    to 100%; Intensity of over color — strong; Pattern of over color —    solid stripes with flush; Amount of russet around stalk cavity —    low; Amount of russet on cheeks — absent; Area of russet around eye    basin — absent or very weak; Length of stalk — long (avg. 32.8 mm);    Thickness of stalk — medium to large (avg. 2.4 mm); Depth of stalk    cavity — deep (avg. 21.4 mm); Width of stalk cavity — medium (avg.    26.4 mm); Depth of eye basin — medium (avg. 13.4 mm); Width of eye    basin — medium (avg. 23 mm); Firmness of flesh — firm; Flesh texture    — medium to fine; Aroma — moderately aromatic and sweet; Juiciness —    medium to high; Brix — 12° brix minimum at harvest time; Flesh    coloration — light yellow 4D; Stem coloration — brown 199A.-   Seeds: Quantity per fruit — 5 on average; Shape — truncate ovoid;    Coloration — dark brown 165A.-   Harvest: Time for harvest — late, beginning of October (similar to    Braeburn); Number of picks — three picks; Amount of fruit produced    per tree per harvest — 120 fruits on fifth-leaf trees.-   Disease resistance/susceptibility: None noted.

1. A new and distinct apple tree substantially as described andillustrated herein.